Action group formed to fight Greenfield homes proposal

A PROPOSAL to build 180 new homes to tackle Flintshire’s housing shortage “shouldn’t go ahead”, a councillor has said.

Renew Land Developments wants to build a mix of mews, semi-detached and detached properties on a 10-hectare area of land at Tan-y-Felin in Greenfield.

The company wants the scheme to form part of the county’s Local Development Plan and has posted leaflets to residents in the area outlining its plans as part of a consultation process.

But residents have formed an action group to oppose the potential development which they say does not improve on similar plans previously rejected by the community.

Greenfield county councillor Rosetta Dolphin said: “It shouldn’t go ahead. There was so much rejection from the residents of Greenfield last time that the plans were taken out – now they are trying again. It’s for 180 homes and there is nothing about any other infrastructure. No plans for a new school, more shops or a play area.

“Our officers rejected it last time and there is nothing different this time. It is open space outside of our development plan.

“But if they have put in the request the council will have to look at it.

“We have already got brownfield sites that have not been developed on so why do we want to turn green field sites into developments?”

The Tan-y-Felin Action Group was formed when initial proposals came to light last year but it is once again gathering pace to counter the current plans.

Leaflets distributed by Renew Land Developments describe “a massive housing shortage throughout the UK” which is “particularly serious in Flintshire”.

The leaflet claims the development, earmarked for land adjoining existing housing at Woodland Drive on the western edge of Greenfield and Tan-y-Felin and Ffordd Dwyfor to the south, will provide homes including affordable housing for local people and first-time buyers, suiting both young families and the older generation.

Civitas Planning is expected to submit a planning application on behalf of Renew Land Developments this month.

Lee Dawkin, director at Renew Land Developments said: “We have been spending a lot of time accumulating various reports so all of the information is there.

“Now we are going back to the public out of courtesy before we submit our planning application.”

A Flintshire Council spokesman said: “The council spoke to the agents acting for this site some time ago and advised them to submit it for consideration as a candidate site via the Local Development Plan.

“The council have not seen the leaflets that have been delivered to local residents and have not had any pre-application discussions regarding what is now being proposed.

“The council’s Local Development Plan is in its very early stages and a strategy for building new homes has not yet been established.

“The latest Welsh Government projections suggest that we need to provide approximately 5,000 new homes by 2030 and Flintshire Council will be undertaking a needs assessment as part of the LDP process to further clarify this figure.”